The Community Meal welcomes everyone from the community to gather around the table.
By: Micah Morris
The days of gathering around the dinner table may seem like a thing of the past, but at Linville Creek Church of the Brethren in Broadway, gathering around the table is a time of community celebration.
The Community Meal, which the church offers every third Wednesday of the month (the next one is on May 20), is a time where the church invites the entire community to join for a meal together. “Something we have really strived towards is for all people to feel welcome at this meal”, Linville Creek Pastor Nathan Hollenberg said.
The meal, which runs from 5:00-6:30pm, is a welcome haven to all of those in the community. From those in need of food, to busy families, to BHS athletes that have just finished practice, the meal is offered with “no strings attached”. There is no worship service, and no donation is required, the meal is simply a time for the community to gather around the table. “We want to provide a place for busy families to pop in and eat a meal they don’t have to prepare or clean-up,” Hollenberg said.
During a time when food insecurity continues to rise and the cost of groceries is a mounting burden on many people and families, the Community Meal at Linville Creek is one of the many ways the 200-year-old congregation celebrates and supports the local community. “Something important and joyful happens when we gather around tables together and share a meal and connect.” Hollenberg said. “In a world so easily divided, the power of ‘the table’ might just be what can heal us… That’s what I love about our community meal – it feeds us in a multitude of ways.”
The Community Meal began before the COVID-19 pandemic. But after a hiatus, the church decided this past fall that it was time to resume the meal. “As economic changes have happened, it felt like the right time to start again,” Church Member Martha Reish said. “We know it meets a need in the community”.
The meal, which is organized by a committee of church members, has seen a steady increase in numbers since the fall. Reish estimates that around 50 people were served at the meal in November, with that number climbing to over 100 people served in April.
As the weather warms up, the church even offers a playground and outside areas that provide additional opportunities for connection and play. According to both Hollenberg and Reish, the important item that they want to convey to the community is that the church is happy to offer this meal to everyone in the community, regardless of age, belief, or socioeconomic status. “Certainly, we want to feed people in need of food, but we also want to provide a space for people hungry for fellowship.”
Linville Creek Church of the Brethren is located at 409 Brethren Road in Broadway. Anyone with questions about the meal can contact the church office at 540-896-5001.
